Window shade



Aug. 27, v1929. o. s. RATLIFF ET AL WINDOW SHADE Filed Aug. 1, 1928 gmwnlou H D Orang ZJiat Patented Aug. 27, 1929.

. UITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ORANGE S. RATLIFF AND JEREMIAH T. RATLIFF, OF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

wnvnow SHADE.

Application filed August 1, 1928. Serial No. 296,730.

This invention relates to window shades, and more particularly to a means for attaching the shade to the roller so as to cause the shade to wind smoothly and uniformly upon the roller.

At the present time, window shades are usually fastened to the shade roller by attaching one end of the shade to the roller by tacks, glue, or the like. WVith this arrangement, all of the stress is upon the relatively small portion of the end of the shade which is fastened to the roller and after a very short time the shade pulls away from the roller.

An object of the present invention is to provide a novel arrangement for attaching a window shade to the roller so that it will be impossible for the shade to be torn from the roller.

Another important object of our invention is the provision of a member to be used with a shade of the roller type which will cause the shade to wind smoothly upon the roller, thus leaving it free from objectionable creases.

Other objects and advantages of this i11- vention will appear in the following specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which view of our shade,

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional View of our shade, taken on line 2-2 of Fig. -1, showing the shade in unrolled position,

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the same, showing the shade at the beginning of the rewinding movement, and

Figure 1- is a cross-sectional view showing a modified form of our invention.

numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates a spring shade roller of the usual type. The shade proper is shown at 2 and is hung from the roller 1 by a looped strip 3, which goes over and around the roller, the shade 2 being attached between the ends 7 of said looped strip in any suitable manner, for example, by stitching. Fastened to the upper part of looped strip 3, which is in contact with the roller 1, is a member 4 which acts as a pressure strip. The pressure strip 4 is preferably formed of a somewhat stifl' or rigid material, such as metal, cloth or paper. The

pressure strip 4 may extend the entire width of the shade, or may be applied only at inter- Figure 1 is a longitudinal elevational In the drawings, wherein like reference vals across the width of the shade. It may be attached or fixed relative to the looped strip 3 in any desired manner, but is preferably glued, cemented, or stapled directly to the outside surface thereof. At a point 5 on one side of the looped strip 3 (and. preferably between the roller 1 and the body of the shade 2, as shown) is a permanent crease or fold 5 which is preferably initially formed in the shade. The pressure strip 4 is shown fastened to the loop 3 and roller 1 by glue, but tacks, staples, or the like may be used. The fastening is made along the periphery of the roller at or about the point where the line of the centers of the pivot.

pins of the shade roller dogs 6 bisects the periphery of roller 1, all as shown in Fig. 1.

From the drawings and foregoing description of the invention it will be readily understood that the liability of the shade being torn off the roller is materially lessened, due

to the fact that the pull upon the shade 2 is taken up by the looped portion 3 extending entirely around the roller. Since this portion is looped loosely over the roller it would tend to fold improperly when the shade is rewound. But, with our invention, when the'roller is rewound the lower end of the pressure strip 4. exerts sufficient force to hold the part of the looped strip that tends to bulge in against the roller and causes it to fold over upon itself at the crease, thus insuring that the entire shade will wind smoothly and uniformly.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, the shade 2 is looped about the roller 1, the looped end 2' being fastened to the body of the shade 2 at 7. In every other respect, the structure and operation of this modification is similar to that described in connection with Figs. 1 to 3.

WVe claim:

1. The combination with a shade and a shade roller, of a strip looped about the roller and having its ends fixed to the shade to support the latter, said strip being transversely creased near one end, and a member of relatively stiff material fixed relative to the looped strip adjacent said crease, to cause the looped strip to be folded in at the crease when the shade is rolled.

2. The combination with a shade and a shade roller, of a strip looped about the roller and having its ends fixed to the shade to support the latter, and a member of relatively stiff material fixed to the looped strip 3. The combination With a shade roller; of

a shade, a looped strip extending about the roller and having the shade secured to its ends, and means to hold one side of the looped strip against the shade roller and to form a transverse folding crease in said strip.

4-. The combination With a shade and a shade roller, of a strip looped about the roller and having its end fixed to the shade to support the latter, and means applied to one side of said strip to transversely stiffen said strip and to therein.

5. The combination With a shade roller, of a shade supported from the roller by a loop at its upper end, and means to transversely stiffen said strip, said means being attached thereto above the lower end of one side of the strip. 7

- ORANGE S. RATLIFF.

JEREMIAH T. RATLIFF.

form a folding crease 

